You are Built to Thrive

The lunar new year, also known as Tet, is a time in Asia where people celebrate the future and also pay respect to the past by remembering their ancestors. This type of veneration for our departed loved ones is something we’ve largely lost in the West. It’s a shame because the practice of looking back to our roots can be powerful and humbling.

According to Hinduism and some types of Buddhism, your situation in this life is due to the choices and behavior of your ancestors and past lives. And while I don’t really believe that literally, because I believe we are responsible for ourselves, I think they’re on to something important to that line of thought. None of us would be here without the survival skills of our ancestors.

Things that we attribute to “just emotion” are actually your inheritance. Anger naturally occurs in us to let our bodies know when someone has trespassed against us, and it prepares the body to fight and protect itself. Feelings of joy and elation expand the mind by strengthening memory recall, creativity and problem solving processes.

These emotions are your birthright. They are passed down from one generation to the next. Learn to use them properly and listen to their wisdom, will allow you to thrive. They are tools– secrets of the trade of life. Just as a welder learns to control fire, you can learn to utilize them to create something beautiful. Do not let them control you. You are a collection of the best qualities of survival, finely tuned over generations. You are built to thrive.

You are, quite literally, the result of the love and strength of thousands of people.